Mark Anthony De Wolfe Howe

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The Right Reverend Mark Anthony De Wolfe Howe was the first Bishop in the Episcopal Diocese of Central Pennsylvania.

1 Background
- 1.1 Consecrators
2 See also
3 References

[edit] Background

Mark Antony De Wolfe Howe was born 5 Apr 1801 in Bristol, Rhode Island. He was the son of John and Louisa (Smith) Howe, and a descendant of James Howe, an English immigrant to Roxbury, Massachusetts and Ipswich, Massachusetts in 1637. Maternally, he was connected to Richard Smith, the first town clerk of Bristol, Rhode Island from the 1680s. He was also related to Senator James D'Wolf.

He attended Phillips Academy, Andover, and then Middlebury College in Vermont. He left Middlebury to pursue education at Brown University, the alma mater of his father. He graduated Brown in 1828, having made friendship with Francis Wayland, a president of Brown.

He taught Latin at Brown University as well as in the public schools of Boston. At the same time he studied law at his father's law office. In addition to teaching at Brown, Howe studied religion under The Reverend John Bristed (son of John Jacob Astor and father of Charles Astor Bristed).

In 1832, Howe was ordained deacon by The Right Reverend Alexander Griswold, Bishop of Eastern Diocese at St. Matthew's Church, Boston.

Before the end of 1832, he became rector of St. James' Church in Roxbury. He was rector there until 1846 when he was called to St. Luke's Church, Philadelphia. He remained rector of St. Luke's for twenty six years.

He attended several General Conventions: 1850, 1859, and 1865, helping lay the foundation of the Hymnal. He wrote Memoirs of the life and Services of the Right Reverend Alonzo Potter, D. D., LL. D. in 1871.

That same year, Dr. Howe was elected bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Central Pennsylvania, which was newly formed. In 1895, Bishop Howe retired to his home in Bristol, Rhode Island where he died July 31, 1895.